This morning I came across a tiny newspaper article telling the story of a man who secured education while battling financial hardships. He had to put all his family's savings to get coaching for clearing exam to get into an engineering college. Later his family even sold a couple of belongings to pay for college in initial days.
In 2011, he secured a job at an IT firm. As of writing this blog, he has risen the ranks and still working there.
Well and good. There's lots of hardships here. Raw daredevilry involved to push him to pursue engineering when financial issues were the reason why his elder brother couldn't continue his studies.
Now go, get inspired!
Thats the current state of public systems. We are celebrating struggles of people who stood against the odds to rise up. We are glorifying their achievements to ensure that the youth doesn't question this system, and instead braces up to be more resillient. We find satisfaction in knowing that we "made through" a bad time.
Never do we question why we had to face it in the first place.
This is the first year when CUET is being used to admit students to Delhi University. Mishaps have already been reported. The pathetic state of engineering entrance exams are not unknown to any student remotely related to the science stream. Cost of professional education is rising rapidly even in public institutions.
Glorifying the struggles of financially weak families and presenting it as an example to promote others to be resillient is only making us "used to" the crap pile. "Hey, look. Its normal to blow up your entire savings to educate your child. This family did it. Why not you?"
The same newspaper could have carried a page long article on the miseries of students having to drop out at various stages in their education. We need more public welfare schemes to guarantee education (and employment).
I'm rocking for change. Which is often equated with stepping into the parliament and boot mocking a bunch of politicians.
Nah!
Change happens in classrooms. But we've long lost them.